The Red Stone from Tractor Supply has vents for the same or less money. I've been very happy with mine, used it three times in the last month, no complaints. Too bad there's no store where you are. Maybe they'd ship one. UPS can't cost that much more.

Did you have to make any modifications to it or are you using it as is? The description of it on their site is lacking so if you could provide me with any more details, that would be great.

Looked up the shipping to Phoenix and it would only be $15 extra to ship! This could be the winner then.

I used one of those Brinkmans for many years, and my little brother still prefers his, to his big offset firebox smoker.

I had really good luck with Turkey's in them, just keep an eye on the water pan or the heat can get away from you.

The one in post 9 is the one I have now, and I really like it. Not the best, but good enough.

I was reading today that the offset smokers are not the best to use because the smoke tends to rise, no transfer horizontally. The reason expensive horizontal smokers work better is because of reverse flow. And others say the temp difference between the different sides of the box are much too great for even cooking.

Don't know how much any of that makes sense but a few articles I have read have made those comments.

Did you have to make any modifications to it or are you using it as is? The description of it on their site is lacking so if you could provide me with any more details, that would be great.

Looked up the shipping to Phoenix and it would only be $15 extra to ship! This could be the winner then.

I drilled about 10 holes in the charcoal pan to let air pass better to the coals. Also put some fire felt around the door seal. Look, it's a $70 smoker, so it's not going to be as nice as a WSM, but it does a fine job. Make sure to use plenty of liquid in the water pan. What I do is fill it with water then chuck in a can of frozen apple juice. You can use frozen cherry juice too if you like. Works great.

I've used mine about three or four times in the last month. Did ribs twice, and chicken. All came out great. You can also get one of those small steel pots, and put a pot of BBQ beans in there and smoke the beans. Really makes the beans great. Don't forget to get some hickory, pecan or apple wood chips for the fire.

I'm thinking about smoking a chicken next weekend. Does anyone have any tips or experience to offer?

Mix 1c apple juice, 1/4c apple cider vinegar, 1tbs honey and some dry rub. Inject the bird, coat in dry rub then let it rest for 2-4 hours in the fridge. I cook mine upright on one of those wire stands.

I was reading today that the offset smokers are not the best to use because the smoke tends to rise, no transfer horizontally. The reason expensive horizontal smokers work better is because of reverse flow. And others say the temp difference between the different sides of the box are much too great for even cooking.

Don't know how much any of that makes sense but a few articles I have read have made those comments.

Hmm, that is interesting. The reason the smoke stack is at the opposite end, is to bring it across the meat from the source.

I do know that right next to the heat entrance, it is going to be hot as hell, so I don't use that part of the grill.

I don't pay any attention to that generic one that came with it, that says cool, ideal and hot.

Also, at the recommendation of this board on another one of these threads, my daughters bought me a remote thermometer that is the shiznit. You don't have to open the hood, and can watch the temp progress of the meat from the comfort of the indoors.

My cheap ass brinkman actually holds a nice low temp pretty well. I mess with it about every 45 minutes I guess, but that doesn't seem too bad to me.

those are pretty easy to modify where you wont have to do that so much. Just make little grill vents on the bottom and one on the top and you can shut the heat down and let out some of the ash for a longer burn. a couple of holes at each location, and a semicircle of metal with a bolt through the middle by the flat side of the semicircle, and you can open and close airflow. Just put one on each side of the grill and one on top